Lyricist Shailendra: Poet of the masses

Ahead of his birth anniversary, recalling how Shailendra’s songs stood out for their simplicity

After more than six decades, songs penned by the inimitable Shailendra continue to warm our hearts, be hummed by the older generation, and sung by young participants at music reality shows. ‘Pyaar hua ikraar hua’ from Shree 420 instantly brings to mind the popular image of Raj Kapoor and Nargis under an umbrella; ‘Khoya khoya chaand’ from Kala Bazar reminds you of Dev Anand’s swagger; ‘O Sajna’ from Parakh makes one visualise a charming Sadhana singing on a rainy night. For an entire generation of film lovers, lyricist Shailendra was the king of simplicity, who understood the medium of cinema and the importance of characterisation. The songs he wrote before his untimely death at the age of 43 are as popular for their simple expressions as for their musicality.